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| + SPIRITUALITY IN INDIA |
The Jain lays specific emphasis on ahimsa and self-control. Vegetarians, and even vegan, a Jain is extremely tolerant and compassionate towards all living creatures. Human life is deemed the highest and it is vital to never harm or upset another. It is not rare to see monks walking down a road barefoot and sweeping the ground in front of them to avoid killing an unseen insect in some parts India. While performing holy deeds, Jains cover their mouths with a piece of cloth (called a Muhapatti) and noses to avoid saliva falling on texts or revered ../images or for the hot air from exhalation to kill bacteria. The Jains have identified 18 papasthanakas or activities leading to sin, that need to be eradicated: Violence, untruth, theft, possessiveness, anger, unchaste behavior, arrogance, greed, hatred, attachment, arguments, deceit, gossip, accusation, criticism, malice, prejudice and wrong belief.
Today, there about 4 million Jains all over the world.
For more information on Jainism, please visit:
www.jainism.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism
www.religioustolerance.org
www.jainworld.com
BUDDHISM
Gautam Siddharth, the first Buddha, was the founder of Buddhism. A
handsome prince, he is said to have renounced the world in search of the answer to the problems of birth, old age, pain, sickness, and death. It is said that at the age of 29, he came across what is now known as the Four Passing Sights: an old crippled man, a sick man, a decaying corpse, and finally a wandering holy man. These four sights led him to the realization that birth, old age, sickness and death come to everyone. After years of penance and trials, he attained Enlightenment.
Buddhism believes that for all sentient beings, there is an endless cycle of birth and death owing to one’s own acts. There are Four Nobel Truths to all life, say the Buddhists:
- Suffering. Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.
- The cause of suffering: Craving. This rebirth.
- The cessation of suffering: end of craving or desires.
- The way leading to the cessation of suffering: The Eight-Fold path.
The Noble 8-fold path:
- Right View
- Right Intention
- Right Speech
- Right Action
- Right Livelihood
- Right Effort
- Right Mindfulness
- Right Concentration
These are progressive stages through which an individual moves towards higher realms of spirituality. According to the Buddha, it is through moderation that one may hope to follow the Nobel path. The first step towards the Nobel path, the Buddhists believe, lies in following the Three Jewels:
- Buddha: The Awakened One
- Dharma: Teachings as propounded by the Buddha
- Sangha: Congregation which has come to be applied to either the Buddhist monastic or the community that has attained the first stage of Awakening called Sotapanna.
The Buddhists believe that there is no other-worldly way to salvation; that there is no escape from one’s karma except through the 8-fold path. There are five precepts that a Buddhist must follow. He must refrain from:
» Taking life
» Stealing
» Sensual misconduct ( gluttony, sexual excesses, etc.)
» Incorrect Speech
» Intoxicants
Today, there are about 370 million followers of Buddhism in the world.
To know more about Buddhism, you may want to visit:
www.buddhanet.net
www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/buddhaintro.html
www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism |
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